The Jets have just 26 road points, which is the third worst in the NHL.

“I personally have never seen it before,” Jets forward Blake Wheeler said. “I’ve been on teams that have played way better on the road than at home. I don’t know. It’s a confidence thing.”

Fortunately they also rank eighth in the league with a 22-10-4 home record. Maybe it’s playing in front of fans that are enthusiastic about finally getting an NHL team back that’s helping them win at home. Conversely, their poor road record might be partially due to the fact that they’re a Western Conference team playing in the Sourtheast Division. Or maybe it’s just a case of their struggles on the road having a snowballing effect.

“On the road we’re trying our darndest to make it work, and sometimes that’s not a good thing, either,” Wheeler said. “You try too hard and end up doing things that aren’t really what have gotten you to where you’re at.”

The Jets have two home games next, including a critical matchup against the eighth place Washington Capitals on Friday, but next week they’re scheduled to play in Pittsburgh, Washington, and Nashville. That would be a challenging road trip under any circumstances, but they probably need to win at least two of those games to stay alive in the hunt for a playoff spot. The Jets are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference and four points shy of eighth place.